In a 'normal' 21st century skins offseason, he wouldn't have gotten 5 cause there was always some other drama or acquisitions to talk about. Nowadays, we have little else to dwell on, which I'm not complaining about in any way.

Solid sack numbers in limited time, as GTripp mentioned. But more importantly, to play for Blache you need to be pretty strong at the point of attack to hold up against the run. He's pretty good at that. Very physical guy, plays a bit bigger than his listed weight of 265. If he can stay healthy and conditioned, he's got potential to be an every-down DE, as opposed to a pass-rushing specialist.

He's pretty light to fight off the run.
Some of the stuff I have read about this guy indicates his weakness is against the run.

He's pretty light to fight off the run.
Some of the stuff I have read about this guy indicates his weakness is against the run.

A majority of guys who like to get in to the opposing blocker's pads as his first move also put themselves in very good position against the run, regardless of their size.

Normally, the issue with 265 pound ends is that they feel they can't afford to do this, because once they are engaged, the blocker will just overpower them. So guys like Chris Wilson, Elvis Dumerville, Dwight Freeney, they just try to get a step and beat the tackle around the edge.

That's not really James' game though, so we can trust that he's tougher against the run than his size indicates, and that he's capable at LE.

__________________ according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

1. Our team culture - Gibbs was a stabilizing influence during his tenure here. He managed to create a veteran-driven culture of accountability on this team and it showed when we brought in a guy like Fred Smoot, who incidentally floundered in Minnesota, and he managed to turn his career around because he was suddenly in a culture that wouldn't tolerate any BS and this allowed him to simply focus on Football.

2. Our coaching staff - Greg Blache has gained a reputation as being a guy who can get the most out of his talent. Look at what he has done in terms of developing younger guys who were really no-names (Wilson, Evans, Montgomery, Golston) and resurrecting a guy like Andre Carter's career. In James, Blache will get a guy who is more physically talented than anyone he currently has (other than Carter).

3. Lack of expectations - Coming into the Redskins James is literally valued at a 7th round pick. He was close to being cut by an NFL team only two years after he was heralded as a future star. The expectations are low and that will take a lot of pressure of James. He is not expected to contribute right-away and that will allow him to learn from Blache and the other veterans on this line and build himself into a contributor.

Ultimately, I think that provided he stays healthy, James can honestly be a solid contributor to this defense.

"Also, I screwed something up yesterday and, like a moron, forgot what year it was (seriously) when looking at Erasmus James's contract. Indeed he does have a $1 million salary left on his contract ... but that's in 2009. In 2008 he will earn $695,000 if he makes the Redskins. So he has two seasons left on his deal."

That is a fantastic deal..plus it gives us leverage for a 2nd year too.
Much better than initially thought....now we have more reason to fully rehab this guy. Not to mention he only gets paid if he plays in a game in 08.
I'm really happy about this now.

3. Lack of expectations - Coming into the Redskins James is literally valued at a 7th round pick. He was close to being cut by an NFL team only two years after he was heralded as a future star. The expectations are low and that will take a lot of pressure of James. He is not expected to contribute right-away and that will allow him to learn from Blache and the other veterans on this line and build himself into a contributor.

that's a point that i've been considering as well. being that his surgery wasn't that long ago, (assuming he makes the roster) i'd like to see this kid put on the PUP list and then see where he's at midway through the season, both physically and in the system.

there's no question the kid has talent, we need to let that knee heal up to maximize it.

Included in those 12 (now 13) pages are about 1-page worth of posts commenting on how many posts this thread has.

And now make it one post commenting on how ridiculous it is to comment repreatedly on how many posts this thread has.

Yes, I recognize the irony.

Then theres another 3 pages of people saying "low risk high reward." "If we cut him no big deal we lose a 7th round pick." Which as I mentioned before is true but when people find 45 different ways to say it, well for me i'ts like nails on a chalkboard. Like for example this is from another forum....lol

Good move IMO. Low risk, high potential upside

It is also a conditional 7th rounder, so if he washes out, they get nothing

I really like this move. Hopefully Palermo can hope him realize his full potential and he can avoid the injuries that plagued his first few years in the league. Even if he doesn't pan out...we honestly don't lose that much. Great move FO

I like the move - you really can't complain if we don't get much out of him for a 7th.

If he doesn't work out then we lose a 7th rounder.
If does good (what is the condition) on the 7th rounder?

Really nothing to lose here. Good move by the FO. I can't believe it but I've typed that a few times since the first day of the draft

Conditional 7th in 2009. great move considering this guy was a 1st rounder. If he gets over injuries and becomes a good player, then well worth it. If not, not a whole lot lost.

it looks like if he doesnt work out that the vikes get nothing the condition is that if he does work they get a 7th rounder...

i think our front office is retarded, but giving up conditional 7th rounders for a potential impact player is a good move.

If this guy is healthy, we just got our 2nd best DE...
...for a 7th round pick!

This is a low risk move that could really pay off - especially if he has something to prove now.

Hello...Genius...
The conditional is in the Redskins' favor.If James works out, the Vikings get a 7th round pick, if he doesn't, they get nothing.

I like this trade. If it works out, awesome. If it doesn't... We lose a 7th round pick.

Low risk high reward. If he works out we're out of a 7th rounder. If he's garbage then we lose nothing. We obviously swung the deal because there'd be a chance he'd get claimed off the wire before our turn. The guys that are complaining that we could have had him for free are overlooking all the other teams that would have had a chance to land him before us.

Exactly.

If he works out, and plays good for the Redskins, then Washington got a 1st round player for a 7th round pick.

If he doesn't work out and the Redskins release him, they keep their 7th round pick, and lose nothing.

It's win/win.

*Sigh* Ok you guys don't get it...if he pans out we lose a 7th round pick, if he does not, we give Minnesota NOTHING. That's why it is a conditional 7th round pick.

Alright I think I made my point. I would have done it with this forum but there was a lot more material over there. On a side note these quotes spanned only 3 pages of a 20+ page thread. The point, we know it's low risk high reward, please find another aspect of Erasmus James to talk about. Like how often players with injuries like Erasmus revert back to form, can he play LE for 3 downs if we need him to, what does this mean for the other guys on the roster.

With that said I like this move, if it works out awesome, we get a former 1st round pick that the front office liked in 2005, if not we lose nothing.

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